Friday, December 19, 2014

"'Twas the Night in the Ocean"

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the ocean, 
Every creature was stirring with the current's strong motion.
The fin socks were hung by the merkids with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
The mer-babes were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of tidal waves danc'd in their heads.  
With my mermaid in her tail and I with my triton,
We all settled down by our undersea garden.
When out on the reef there are arose such a clatter, 
I sprang from my seabed to see what was the matter.
Away to the reef wall I swam like a flash,
Raced to the surface and made a big splash.
The moon on the breast of the ocean below,
Gave the luster of the waves going to and fro.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a minute it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than tuna his coursers they came,
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name:
"Now!  Dasher, now!  Dancer, now!  Prancer and Vixen;
On!  Comet, on!  Cupid, on!  Donder and Blitzen;
"To the top of the sea!  To the top of the reef wall!
"Now splash away!  Splash away!  Splash away all!"
As marine debris that before the hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the sea castle the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of recyclables--and St. Nicholas too:
And then twinkling, I heard, suddenly aloof,
The splashing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the ocean St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed in a wetsuit from his head to his foot,
And his BC was inflated to help him stay afloat.
A bundle of recyclables was flung on his back,
And he look'd like a tourist just opening his pack:
His eyes--how they twinkled, his regulator, how black,
His cheeks were all covered and his nose under a mask.
His droll little mouth was hidden under a reg,
And the beard of his chin, floated white with with waves.
The mouthpiece he held tight in his teeth,
And the bubbles encircled his head like a wreath. 
He had a broad face, and a little round belly,
That shook when he laugh'd, like a large sea jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laugh'd when I saw in spite of myself;
A wink through his mask and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He breathed quite a bit and was graceful with his work,
And fill'd all the fin socks; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger on his inflator hose
And giving a nod, up the sea he rose.
He splashed to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight--

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night."


Inspired by: Clement Clark Moore's "A Visit from St. Nicholas." 

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